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Book: The Fuller's Apprentice (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 1) by Angela Holder
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Authors: Angela Holder
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Elkan’s other side. He squirmed in the hard wooden chair, gloomily certain his tailbone would be sore long before the service was over.
People filtered in through the main doors, taking seats. A quiet buzz of voices built up in the room. Gradually the circle filled, until most of the seats were occupied. An old woman sat down on a bench next to Josiah.
When the flow of people from the door trickled to a halt and most of them were seated, Tivon stood up. The few stragglers hurried to seats. Conversation died away.
When everyone was still, Tivon spoke.
“We are gathered together in the Mother’s name. Let us be still and listen to her voice. Let us speak, knowing she hears us. Let us ponder her mysteries. Let us share together the joy of her presence.”
He sat down. All was silent.
Josiah shifted in his chair. He looked around at the gathered townsfolk. Most had their heads bowed. There were many older people, but also a number of young families. Occasionally a child would speak or make some noise and be softly hushed by a parent. A baby cried, but soon found comfort at her mother’s breast. Someone coughed. Someone else sneezed.
Josiah glanced at Elkan, sitting serenely quiet, calm eyes looking off into the distance. He looked at the old woman on his other side, who nodded in time with some internal rhythm.
Josiah closed his eyes in despair. This was going to be the longest hour of his life.
The silence stretched on. Josiah ran his hands through his hair. He chewed at a hangnail. He studied the patches of light cast on the floor from the windows high overhead. One fell near his feet. He scooted his foot over to the edge of the light surreptitiously, and lined it up just inside the shadow. The sunlight crept imperceptibly until it brushed the edge of his boot.
Across the circle, there was a rustle. A woman stood up. Her voice was low and soft, but in the quiet it was clearly audible. “Thank you, Mother, for guiding my sister safely through labor and birth, and for the gift of a new niece.”
She sat down. Silence settled over the assembly again.
After a while, a man rose. “Mother, I ask your protection as I embark on my journey to Elathir.” He resumed his seat.
Quickly, a little boy jumped to his feet. “Mother, please take care of Shaggy and help me find him, ’cause he’s the best dog ever and I miss him and he’s never stayed gone this long before, and please don’t let him be dead or have found some other family he likes better—”
The child’s father laid a hand on his arm. The boy looked at him and blinked. “—well, anyway, please send him home.” He sat and looked down at his hands clenched in his lap.
It went on like that for a while, with people rising and speaking their gratitude or requests to the Mother. At first Josiah diverted himself listening to them, but soon they blurred together into a haze of sameness and he lost interest. He looked at his boot. The light had crept a finger-width up his toe. He abandoned his timekeeping attempt and shifted around in his chair, trying to find a comfortable position.
He looked around the circle. He spotted a few apprentices he’d met the day before and tried to catch their eyes. Eventually one of the girls glanced his way. He mouthed, “How much longer?”
She frowned and shook her head, looking pointedly at Elkan. Josiah looked at the wizard too, but he seemed oblivious. He tried to get her attention again, but she stared off in the other direction.
Josiah gave up and began to study the familiars he could see from his position. Not far away a goat lay on the floor next to its wizard’s chair, chewing its cud. Across the circle a rabbit rested in its master’s lap. Her hand rhythmically stroked it between the eyes. Windsong perched on Kaniel’s shoulder, shiny black eyes focused intently on the center of the circle. Beside them, a wizard held a mouse on his knee. Josiah entertained himself for a few minutes with the thought of the
People filtered in through the main doors, taking seats. A quiet buzz of voices built up in the room. Gradually the circle filled, until most of the seats were occupied. An old woman sat down on a bench next to Josiah.
When the flow of people from the door trickled to a halt and most of them were seated, Tivon stood up. The few stragglers hurried to seats. Conversation died away.
When everyone was still, Tivon spoke.
“We are gathered together in the Mother’s name. Let us be still and listen to her voice. Let us speak, knowing she hears us. Let us ponder her mysteries. Let us share together the joy of her presence.”
He sat down. All was silent.
Josiah shifted in his chair. He looked around at the gathered townsfolk. Most had their heads bowed. There were many older people, but also a number of young families. Occasionally a child would speak or make some noise and be softly hushed by a parent. A baby cried, but soon found comfort at her mother’s breast. Someone coughed. Someone else sneezed.
Josiah glanced at Elkan, sitting serenely quiet, calm eyes looking off into the distance. He looked at the old woman on his other side, who nodded in time with some internal rhythm.
Josiah closed his eyes in despair. This was going to be the longest hour of his life.
The silence stretched on. Josiah ran his hands through his hair. He chewed at a hangnail. He studied the patches of light cast on the floor from the windows high overhead. One fell near his feet. He scooted his foot over to the edge of the light surreptitiously, and lined it up just inside the shadow. The sunlight crept imperceptibly until it brushed the edge of his boot.
Across the circle, there was a rustle. A woman stood up. Her voice was low and soft, but in the quiet it was clearly audible. “Thank you, Mother, for guiding my sister safely through labor and birth, and for the gift of a new niece.”
She sat down. Silence settled over the assembly again.
After a while, a man rose. “Mother, I ask your protection as I embark on my journey to Elathir.” He resumed his seat.
Quickly, a little boy jumped to his feet. “Mother, please take care of Shaggy and help me find him, ’cause he’s the best dog ever and I miss him and he’s never stayed gone this long before, and please don’t let him be dead or have found some other family he likes better—”
The child’s father laid a hand on his arm. The boy looked at him and blinked. “—well, anyway, please send him home.” He sat and looked down at his hands clenched in his lap.
It went on like that for a while, with people rising and speaking their gratitude or requests to the Mother. At first Josiah diverted himself listening to them, but soon they blurred together into a haze of sameness and he lost interest. He looked at his boot. The light had crept a finger-width up his toe. He abandoned his timekeeping attempt and shifted around in his chair, trying to find a comfortable position.
He looked around the circle. He spotted a few apprentices he’d met the day before and tried to catch their eyes. Eventually one of the girls glanced his way. He mouthed, “How much longer?”
She frowned and shook her head, looking pointedly at Elkan. Josiah looked at the wizard too, but he seemed oblivious. He tried to get her attention again, but she stared off in the other direction.
Josiah gave up and began to study the familiars he could see from his position. Not far away a goat lay on the floor next to its wizard’s chair, chewing its cud. Across the circle a rabbit rested in its master’s lap. Her hand rhythmically stroked it between the eyes. Windsong perched on Kaniel’s shoulder, shiny black eyes focused intently on the center of the circle. Beside them, a wizard held a mouse on his knee. Josiah entertained himself for a few minutes with the thought of the
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